Supplemental Guarantor / Non-Guarantor Financial Information Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates	$ 64,480	$ 63,187	$ 136,312	$ 124,699
Third parties	10,518	12,098	25,690	24,884
Total revenues	74,998	75,285	162,002	149,583
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	24,567	24,538	47,379	50,403
Depreciation and amortization	15,882	15,127	31,470	29,281
General and administrative	2,516	3,100	5,667	6,332
Total operating costs and expenses	42,965	42,765	84,516	86,016
Operating income (loss)	32,033	32,520	77,486	63,567
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	748	746	1,270	1,403
Interest expense	(8,329)	(11,629)	(18,783)	(24,113)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0	(7,677)	0
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets	0	0	0	2,022
Interest income	0	4	3	107
Other Income (Expense)	26	0	34	0
Total other income (expense)	(7,555)	(10,879)	(25,153)	(20,581)
Income before income taxes	24,478	21,641	52,333	42,986
State income tax expense	(28)	(344)	(103)	(400)
Net income	24,450	21,297	52,230	42,586
Allocation of Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(1,416)	(1,130)	(5,053)	(4,020)
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	23,034	20,167	47,177	38,566
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(746)	3,413	(651)	4,824
Comprehensive income	22,288	23,580	46,526	43,390
SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	748	746	1,270	1,403
Parent Company [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates	0	0	0	0
Third parties	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	585	983	1,643	1,791
Total operating costs and expenses	585	983	1,643	1,791
Operating income (loss)	(585)	(983)	(1,643)	(1,791)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	28,631	29,413	69,195	56,872
Interest expense	(5,012)	(8,263)	(12,698)	(16,515)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			(7,677)
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets				0
Interest income		0	0	0
Other Income (Expense)	0		0
Total other income (expense)	23,619	21,150	48,820	40,357
Income before income taxes	23,034	20,167	47,177	38,566
State income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income	23,034	20,167	47,177	38,566
Allocation of Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	23,034	20,167	47,177	38,566
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(746)	3,413	(651)	4,824
Comprehensive income	22,288	23,580	46,526	43,390
Parent Company [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	0	0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates	61,427	60,797	123,042	115,210
Third parties	8,533	10,116	19,614	18,523
Total revenues	69,960	70,913	142,656	133,733
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	22,179	22,104	42,330	45,471
Depreciation and amortization	12,288	11,543	24,281	22,113
General and administrative	1,931	2,117	4,024	4,541
Total operating costs and expenses	36,398	35,764	70,635	72,125
Operating income (loss)	33,562	35,149	72,021	61,608
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(708)	(1,234)	5,331	2,890
Interest expense	(3,317)	(3,366)	(6,085)	(7,598)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets				2,022
Interest income		3	3	3
Other Income (Expense)	26		34
Total other income (expense)	(3,251)	(3,851)	553	(1,280)
Income before income taxes	30,311	31,298	72,574	60,328
State income tax expense	(28)	(344)	(103)	(400)
Net income	30,283	30,954	72,471	59,928
Allocation of Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	30,283	30,954	72,471	59,928
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(746)	3,413	(651)	4,824
Comprehensive income	29,537	34,367	71,820	64,752
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	748	746	1,270	1,403
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates	3,359	2,698	13,883	10,100
Third parties	1,985	1,982	6,076	6,361
Total revenues	5,344	4,680	19,959	16,461
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	2,694	2,742	5,662	5,543
Depreciation and amortization	3,594	3,584	7,189	7,168
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	6,288	6,326	12,851	12,711
Operating income (loss)	(944)	(1,646)	7,108	3,750
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets				0
Interest income		1	0	104
Other Income (Expense)	0		0
Total other income (expense)	0	1	0	104
Income before income taxes	(944)	(1,645)	7,108	3,854
State income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income	(944)	(1,645)	7,108	3,854
Allocation of Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	(944)	(1,645)	7,108	3,854
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	(944)	(1,645)	7,108	3,854
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	0	0	0	0
Eliminations [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates	(306)	(308)	(613)	(611)
Third parties	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	(306)	(308)	(613)	(611)
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	(306)	(308)	(613)	(611)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	(306)	(308)	(613)	(611)
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(27,923)	(28,179)	(74,526)	(59,762)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets				0
Interest income		0	0	0
Other Income (Expense)	0		0
Total other income (expense)	(27,923)	(28,179)	(74,526)	(59,762)
Income before income taxes	(27,923)	(28,179)	(74,526)	(59,762)
State income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income	(27,923)	(28,179)	(74,526)	(59,762)
Allocation of Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(1,416)	(1,130)	(5,053)	(4,020)
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	(29,339)	(29,309)	(79,579)	(63,782)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	746	(3,413)	651	(4,824)
Comprehensive income	(28,593)	(32,722)	(78,928)	(68,606)
Eliminations [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0